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inspirational book reviews

A Gift of Love by Tony Cointreau – Say “Hi” to the Next Book You Should Read

July 20, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

A Gift of Love - Lessons Learned From My Work and Friendship with Mother Teresa
 

Uncommon compassion. That’s the phrase I must have thought 100 times as I read Tony Cointreau’s beautiful book, A Gift of Love: Lessons Learned From My Work and Friendship with Mother Teresa.  The compassion displayed on the pages of this book take my breath away.  More than once, I thought, “The world needs more Mother Teresas and Tony Cointreaus.”  Too often we think about our own struggles and fail to realize that, compared to those of others, we should be embarrassed by what we call misfortunes.

In the Author’s Words:

I wrote A Gift of Love because people kept asking me to do so, telling me that there was a great need for it. Perhaps it was their parents who were dying, or another family member, or a close friend, and they needed to know what they could do for their loved ones in those last weeks, days, or hours. They knew that I had worked with Mother Teresa as a volunteer in her homes for the dying, and had twelve years’ experience in what they were facing perhaps for the first time, and asked me to pass on some of my knowledge.

In 1979, when I saw a magazine photograph of one of Mother Teresa’s volunteers carrying a dying man in his arms, I knew in an instant that I had to become a part of this work. It was certainly not a religious calling, but a simple calling to give something of myself to others. I felt that if I could comfort one dying person, my life would have had purpose.

It took me ten years to enter the world that I had only seen a glimpse of in that magazine article. When I did, it was during the worst of the AIDS crisis in the United States, in a hospice called “Gift of Love” in New York City, which had been opened by Mother Teresa in 1985. It had room for fifteen dying men, most of them from a world I had never known?a world of drugs, poverty, and crime, a far cry from the privileged life of châteaus in Europe that I had been brought up in, and later on, the world of show business in which I had been able to fulfill some of my greatest dreams.

In the years to come, these men, who were dying of AIDS and had never been given much of a chance in life, taught me not only about the many ways to help others die in an atmosphere of peace and love, but also how to enjoy the richness of living our lives fully until the very end.

Whenever Mother Teresa asked me to sing for her on her little terrace in Calcutta, I never said “No.” And when I asked her to help me write about caring for loved ones in their last days, she also never said “No.” What a blessing—thank you, Mother!

If I can reach just one person who is flailing around in panic and fear while trying to help a loved one at the end of their life, my journey will have been worthwhile.

Other words that frequently came to mind while reading A Gift of Love were bold and refreshing. Tony Cointreau’s work with men who were dying from AIDS was especially bold because you have to remember, at that time, ridiculous fears were still rampant. Research had not proven so many of the theories WRONG about how AIDS could be contracted.

In spite of the great perceived risk, his compassion and love for fellow human beings will leave a lasting impression on the reader. The manner in which he (and others) allowed these men to maintain their dignity while facing their last days doesn’t tug at the heart strings… it ties them up in knots.

The pain of a loss can be excruciating, but it need never defeat you. It can tear you apart, but you can rise again, and if given the opportunity to aid and participate in the final days, hours, and moments of someone’s life, you, the participant, will never be the same either. Any love and comfort that we give leaves both the giver and the receiver in a different realm than before. – page 8

What sort of wold would we live in if we all treated one another with respect, dignity, and uncommon compassion? Put another way… what if we all treated one another the way Jesus taught?

Jesus. There is another reason this book strikes me as bold and refreshing. The author is not the least bit hesitant to mention God or His Son, Jesus. By name! If this doesn’t strike you as unusual, you must not read as many “self help” or “inspirational” books as I do. Then again… who (outside of publishers) does?!  A huge pet peeve of mine is when authors – or anyone, for that matter – refers to God as “a higher power” or “the man above…”  I’m fairly certain that if they had a loved one in the emergency room, they wouldn’t say, “Higher power, would you please help..”

No. They’d know His name then!

For an author to speak of God or talk about Jesus as freely as he would Mother Teresa or his own family was just what this book reviewer needed. It was encouraging to see.

Truth be told, the entire book was a lesson in encouragement, compassion, and enlightenment.

A hug or the human touch is not a danger with AIDS or most other diseases. The only thing society should fear is not having enough love to comfort someone in their agony so that they can leave this world with a feeling of peace. – page 28

Who Will Love This Book?

When doing book reviews, I often like to tell my readers who will love the book I’m reviewing. In this case, the answer to the question, “Who will love this book?” is simple – everyone.  The book reads as though Tony Cointreau is your very personable, witty, warm, and well-spoken dinner guest. You know, the kind who leaves begging for more stories as your food gets cold.

I plan to pass  A Gift of Love around to everyone in my family, because it is simply a beautiful and uplifting lesson in life. How Mr. Cointreau takes a subject as grim as dying and makes it an uplifting journey for the reader is mind-boggling, but that’s exactly what he has accomplished.

 I judge no one. – Mother Teresa

I hope you’ll grab a copy of A Gift of Love right away. There are books that touch you, there are books that are great reads, and there are books that you know will stay with you forever. This is one of the rare books that answers to all three.

A Gift of Love by Tony Cointreau

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Make a Difference, Spiritual Tagged With: inspirational book reviews

Upcoming Book Reviews on Self Help Daily: A Week “For the Books!”

June 20, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Upcoming Book Reviews on Self Help Daily
I just wrote the first of three book reviews I have planned for this week on Self Help Daily: Done with the Crying. I’m extremely excited about each of these three books because of the potential each one has to help people. Books that want nothing more out of life than to reach out and help pull others up are my favorite types of books to review.

It just so happens that three have landed in my book reviewing lap almost at the same time.

This has reminded me how very thankful I am for authors and publishers who are patient and wait for their book to be reviewed.  Hopefully they realize that I take great pride in my reviews and, therefore, do not rush them. I’ve read many book reviews online and have come away knowing – beyond a shadow of doubt – the reviewer never even read the book!

I want to read the book, get a “feel” for what the author wants to convey, get a firm grip on how this book can help my readers, and just do everything I can to “do right” by the author and the book they take such pride in.

As I told a particularly “pesky” author once (after his 3rd e-mail and 5th direct message to me on Twitter) – pestering me does in, no way, help you, dude!

In all seriousness, though, these three books are exceptional and I’m extremely excited to tell y’all all about them. I am doing the reviews in the order I received the books – and Pound for Pound will be next.  If I don’t have the review published tomorrow (fingers crossed I can pull it off!), it WILL be published Wednesday.

The third book is one I’m having a lot of fun with,  Cultivating Gratitude.

After these three book reviews, I have even more coming next week. They simply weren’t in the yard with me when the other three were – otherwise they’d have been part of the photoshoot too.

You should see the expressions on my cats’ faces when I photograph books. They’re used to being my main subjects, after all!

I hope all of you have a week filled with laughter, love, and very pleasant surprises.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love Tagged With: Book Reviews, inspirational book reviews

A Book of Miracles by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

July 12, 2015 by Joi 1 Comment

A Book of Miracles

A Book of Miracles by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

I was sent a copy of  A Book of Miracles: Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude, and Love a while back to review on Self Help Daily. I receive a lot of books to review on my different blogs and websites, so it takes a pretty unique and special book to really stand out.

This one did.

Allow me to say that you may not agree with every single word from every single individual’s story. That’s okay! I, personally, give only One individual credit for miracle, and that’s God, Himself. In this book (as well as in daily life), you’ll find individuals who credit their “higher self.”

But here’s the thing, even though I automatically think, “God is higher than any of us could even pretend to be and He is the only One who is in the Miracle business,” I am still inspired by their stories. The difficulties they overcome and the “happy ending” they find themselves within is inspiring and uplifting.

That’s the point of the book and that’s the reason I recommend it.

From the Back Cover:

Bernie Siegel first wrote about miracles when he was a practicing surgeon and founded Exceptional Cancer Patients, a groundbreaking synthesis of group, individual, dream, and art therapy that provided patients with a “carefrontation.” Compiled during his more than thirty years of practice, speaking, and teaching, the stories in these pages are riveting, warm, and belief expanding. Their subjects include a girl whose baby brother helped her overcome anorexia, a woman whose cancer helped her heal by teaching her to stand up for herself, and a family that was saved from a burning house by bats. Without diminishing the reality of pain and hardship, the stories show real people turning crisis into blessing by responding to adversity in ways that empower and heal. They demonstrate what we are capable of and show us that we can achieve miracles as we confront life’s difficulties.

A Book of Miracles is a very entertaining, uplifting, and inspiring book.

 

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Spiritual Tagged With: Book Reviews, inspirational book reviews, inspirational books

Appointments With Heaven (Review of a Very Special Book)

October 30, 2013 by Joi 3 Comments

Appointments with Heaven by Dr. Reggie Anderson

I write a lot of book reviews on Self Help Daily.

Generally, I’m sent books from publishers or even authors in exchange for writing and publishing a review. I’ve received some really amazing books and I always strive to “do right by them” in my reviews. The last book I read was Appointments with Heaven: The True Story of a Country Doctor, His Struggles with Faith and Doubt, and His Healing Encounters with the Hereafter.

Here’s the problem: There is absolutely, positively no way on earth I can possibly do right by this book or even come close to doing it justice.

Trying to convey the essence, the beauty, and the potentially life-changing power of this book would be like trying to describe…

  • … how amazing cheesecake tastes
  • … how seeing your grown children pull into your driveway makes you feel
  • … how your heart soars when the love of your life says I love you
  • … the peaceful feeling of a snowy winter morning

You can completely understand, yourself, that it feels like Christmas morning any time your children come to visit, but trying to put it in words? Nearly impossible.  Even someone like me, who works with words every day of the year, can find their brain overwhelmed by their emotions and realize that, in the end, the brain is no match for the heart.

Not even close.

{Review Continued Below…}

God's Presence was in the Room

God’s Presence was in the Room

 From the Back Cover:

 Meet the country doctor who visits the front porch of Heaven… and witnesses what awaits us there.

When a patient first asked Dr. Reggie Anderson to sit at her bedside as she passed from this life, something miraculous happened. As he held her hand, the veil between this world and the next parted… and he received an astonishing glimpse of what awaits us in Heaven.

Little did he know this was just a foretaste of what was to come – a lifetime of God-given “appointments with Heaven.”  Join Reggie as he shares remarkable stories from his life and practice, including the personal tragedy that nearly drove him away from faith forever. As he reveals what he’s seen, heard, and experienced of the afterlife, we’ll learn how we can face the passing of our loved ones with the courage and confidence that we’ll see them again; discover what might happen when we expect the miraculous; and prepare for our own appointment with Heaven.

Soul-stirring and hope-filled, Appointments with Heaven is a powerful journey into the questions at the very core of your being: Is there more to life than this? What is Heaven like? And, most important: Do I believe it enough to let it change me?

Reason Number 1 Why This Should Be the Next Book You Read: You’ll Love “Meeting” the Colorful People

I’m intrigued with this particular book possibly more than I’ve ever been intrigued by a book (not counting the Bible, which intrigues me every time I open it).  Appointments with Heaven reads in an exciting, I can’t turn the pages fast enough fashion similar to an Agatha Christie mystery or John Grisham novel.  Literally, each person author Dr. Reggie Anderson wrote about, I found myself longing for an entire book written about them and them, alone!  I could read a novel centered, exclusively, around the life of Dr. Anderson’s mother, father, wife, patients, or friends (Stephen Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman).

When he spoke of his childhood, I only wanted to hear more. His writing style made you feel as though you were there with the child version of him, and you could “feel” the love his family had for one another.

Every time Dr. Anderson wrote about one of his patients (particularly the ones in nursing homes), I’d find myself wondering what their personal histories were.  He made everyone and everything he wrote about beyond fascinating.  If Dr. Anderson had written textbooks, I’d have paid more attention in school!

I thought a lot as I read through this wonderful book, but I thought even more after I’d read the last page.  In fact, I’ve thought about it every day since…. which brings me to…

Reason Number 2 Why This Should Be the Next Book You Read: You’ll Love the Effect it Has on Your Life

If you’re familiar with me at all, you know I’m a baseball fanatic. Seriously, if the St. Louis Cardinals are on my tv and you have something to say to me, you might want to wait between innings – and approach me  then with caution if it’s a close game!  I once told someone, half kidding, that as far as I was concerned, there were two seasons: Baseball Season and Withdrawal.

One of the things I love about baseball SO MUCH is that you never know which pitch, which at bat, or which defensive play will change the momentum of the game. It usually comes when you aren’t watching for it and, even more fascinating, it often comes from a player who isn’t even re-mote-ly a “franchise player.”  These “game changers” are often the players most people overlook, but they’re usually my personal favorites. They’re often the difference between winning and losing.  This year, in fact, it was one of these “game changers” that (in my opinion) was the key to our successful season. The guy no one was talking about in April, everyone was talking about in October.

Game Changer.

If Appointments with Heaven were a baseball player, it would be this type of player.  There are books by more famous authors, such as Max Lucado (one of my personal favorite authors).  There are books with titles that are being tossed around for movies and television series.   These would be the “franchise”  players with names on the back of everybody’s jerseys!  And yet… sitting on another shelf, there’s a beautifully written book with an author’s name you’ve surely never heard of – a very humble “country doctor” in Tennessee who isn’t even re-mote-ly a household name.  A guy not even on the most avid inspirational book reader’s radar with a book the may never have heard of. An author no one has heard of is the very author everyone needs to read.

Life Changer.

As you’re reading Appointments with Heaven, you’ll only think about how wonderful the book, itself, is. You’ll kind of feel miffed anytime you have to set it down, whether it’s to cook, eat, or sleep. You’ll find yourself rushing back to it as fast as you possibly can.  I actually cooked supper one evening with the book in one hand while the other hand did all the work!

Agatha never made me do that…

As I said earlier, this book made me THINK a great deal. I have a lot of love for anything that makes me think. I have even more love for anything that makes me FEEL – which is the one thing Appointments with Heaven caused me to do even more than think.  The reader is reminded that the often trivial things we get bent out of shape about really don’t amount to a hill of beans. We each have our own “Appointment” one day and these trivial little matters are just that – trivial little matters.

It affected me another way, as well.  It caused me to realize something I already knew but needed to be reminded of – everyone else has their own appointment one day as well.  When you allow that fact to really sink in, it’s difficult to get annoyed with the “Sunday driver” in front of you or the “Baby Jeff Gordon” on your bumper.

This particular book and this particular author is exactly what this particular world needs right now.

Reason Number 3 Why This Should Be the Next Book You Read: You’ll Love the Peace of Mind It’ll Bring

Just about all of us have loved ones in Heaven. The longer God allows us to live on earth, the more loved ones move on before us, making Heaven sweeter and sweeter.  If we picture, in our minds, eating with our family around the dinner table as a child, a lot of us would realize that we’re the only one still here.  Some may have lost a father or a mother – then there are those, like myself, who lost both parents way too young.  Everyone has lost someone they love (parent, spouse, child, grandparent, friend..) and sadly it’s sure to happen again.

Appointments with Heaven brings much needed peace to the hearts and minds of those of us who are “left behind.”  I could easily… easily… see this book healing many open wounds.

There’s another way Appointments With Heaven will bring peace (and even forgiveness) to your heart.  You may just see yourself through Dr. Anderson’s struggle with faith and search for “answers.”  Maybe there’ve been times when you found yourself running on empty when it came to hope while the “Tank of Discouragement” was over-flowingly full.  There’ll be many ways that you’ll identify with different individuals in this book and this identification can help you realize that you aren’t alone – never have been, never will be.

Reason Number 4 Why This Should Be the Next Book You Read: It’s a Real Page-Turner!

While I read both Fiction (make believe) and Non Fiction (real life), I strongly favor Non Fiction. As an only child, my imagination has always been far wilder than anything novelists can come up with. However, “true life” is a whole different story, so to speak.  I think that’s the main reason I prefer Non Fiction – life catches me off guard.  That was certainly the case with Appointments with Heaven  – I kept thinking things like, “Oh! Didn’t see that coming!” and “Whoa, didn’t know that was going to happen…”

You come to care about the different people in Appointments with Heaven and riding the roller coaster of life with them will keep you glued to each page.

Before I end this book review that’s nearly turned into a book on its own (gift of gab… who, me?), allow me to simply say this: If I could recommend only one (besides the Bible!) book to each and every person in my life – whether online or offline – this would be the book.

Appointments with Heaven will touch you deeply and its imprints will last forever.

~ Joi

+++ Click any of the links above for the paperback edition of this book on Amazon.  This book is also available on Kindle (Appointments with Heaven on Kindle). There’s also a 30 Daily Appointments with Heaven: Devotions to Bring the Hope and Joy of Heaven to Your Every Day on Kindle which sounds extra special too.

Appointments with Heaven

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love, Spiritual Tagged With: Christianity, inspirational book reviews, inspirational books, Spiritual

You’re Going to Love O’s Big Book of Happiness (Review)

October 27, 2008 by Joi 7 Comments

O's Big Book of Happiness

Every once and again I read a book that I love SO much that I practically run to my computer to tell the world about it. Naturally, I can’t my review to the entire world – so I end up just telling as many people as possible, by giving it a shout out on all of my blogs.

This one’s a winner, y’all.

O’s Big Book of Happiness: The Best of O, The Oprah Magazine: Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration is a big, beautiful book with Oprah’s gorgeous smile warming the cover.

My daughter, Stephany, and I are both huge fans of Oprah, so when the book came in the mail, we immediately started scrambling for reading rights. Unfortunately, when we came into the house, I had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and rolls to make and Steph? Well, she had a big beautiful new book to read.

O’s Big Book of Happiness is a compilation of O Magazine’s best stories, articles, wit, wisdom, and advice. For those of us who have seen our magazine purchasces come to a stand still (thank you grouchy economy), this book is even more appreciated. It’s like several huge stacks of magazines rolled into one big inspirational and glamorous book.

I’ve always found Oprah to be incredibly uplifting, motivating, encouraging, and inspiring – all while being just as entertaining.

Anyone who doesn’t love this woman doesn’t watch, read, or listen to this woman! Honestly, there’s nothing not to love.

Through willpower, determination, intelligence, hard work, and perseverance – she made herself a household name. Along the way, Oprah has helped more people than any one person could ever hope to count. I recently overheard an interviewer refer to someone in the business world as the “Oprah” of his industry.

Wrong.

If your name isn’t associated with giving to those who have less than you and improving the lives of children – you’re most definitely not the “Oprah” of anything.  Don’t just throw the name around  – because few are anywhere near deserving a comparison.

Reading the positive, uplifting stories in O’s Big Book of Happiness: The Best of O, The Oprah Magazine: Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration makes you feel as though Oprah is in the room with you, introducing you to her friends and encouraging them to inspire you and lift you up – teaching you something along the way.

The book is positively wonderful and has been awarded the prominent place on the table in our living room – you know the type, the table that likes to showcase “important and impressive” books, pictures, etc. This great-natured book, with it’s helpful disposition, wonderful sense of humor, and sparkling personality is so lovely, it begs for such positioning.

In a recent post, I sounded the trumpet for adopting new good habits. We agreed to read more, laugh more, love more, complain less, and be more thankful – among other things (I’m conveniently leaving out the water and exercise, aren’t I?). Buying this book would be a perfect step in the right direction! Oprah and her “friends” will provide all of the inspiration, motivation, and insight you could ever hope for.

There are over 100 wonderfully (wonderfully) written articles in this powerful book.  Each article is actually a chapter in, and of, itself.  Trust me, after reading each you’ll want nothing more than to just spend some time soaking in what you just read.

The first article I read was one written by Oprah, herself, about a special dog of hers’ named Gracie.  I laughed. I cried. I was moved. I was inspired.

The second article I read was by an author named Martha Beck.  The article was titled “The Cure For Self Consciousness” and packed more of a punch  than any book I’ve ever read on the subject.  It summed the whole process up with one word.  I’ve used this one word several times since reading the article and I swear to you on my Starbucks card, this is powerful.

If you want to know the one word… read the book! Sorry to resort to trickery, but that’s how much I want you to read this book.

There are articles about relationships, beauty, fitness, health, cooking, and more.  Oprah interviews Bobby Kennedy, Jr. about the environment and his infamous family.  Queen Latifah gives her “Aha” moment – describing the point in her life when she realized she didn’t need to change herself to “fit” any mold.

I actually don’t have the other O books yet – O’s Guide to Life: The Best of O, the Oprah Magazine (The Oprah Magazine) or Live Your Best Life: A Treasury of Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration from O, The Oprah Magazine… Emphasis on yet.

I’m going to need a bigger table in my living room.

I hope you’ll buy a copy of this book today. After you read through the wonderful stories, I know you’ll want to put a copy in the hands of your loved ones. This book would make an excellent Christmas present – presented with a subscritpion to O Magazine, I guarantee your gift will be appreciated and talked about for months and months. What’s more, they’ll think about YOU every single time they curl up and read.

Buy. This. Book. Today! – O’s Big Book of Happiness: The Best of O, The Oprah Magazine: Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love Tagged With: Book Reviews, inspirational book reviews, inspirational books, Oprah

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